Bangladesh's first official foray into international cricket
came in the 1979 ICC Trophy in England, leaving the tournament with 2
wins and 2 defeats. Seven years later, on 31 March 1986, Bangladesh
played in its first One Day International match against Pakistan in the
1986 Asia Cup. Cricket has gradually become very popular in urban areas
of the country. Although football was the most popular game for a long
time, cricket gained a momentum and soon surpassed football, especially
after Bangladesh won the ICC Trophy in Malaysia in 1997. By winning the
ICC trophy, the Tigers had qualified for the 1999 Cricket World Cup for
the first time, where they upset Pakistan, although they did not pass
the group phase. In 1997, Bangladesh became a regular ICC member with
the right to play one-day internationals. It attained the status of a
Test playing country on 26 June 2000.

In 1977, Bangladesh became an Associate member of the
International Cricket Council (ICC). Bangladesh was one of fifteen
teams to take part in the inaugural ICC Trophy. Held in 1979, it gave
non-Test playing countries the opportunity to qualify for that year's
World Cup. Bangladesh, under the captaincy of Raqibul Hasan, Bangladesh
won two matches and lost two, but failed to progress beyond the first
round. Victory in the South-East Asian Cricket Conference Tournament in
February 1984 ensured Bangladesh qualified for the 1986 Asia Cup.

On 31 March 1986, Bangladesh played their first One Day
International against a full member of the ICC; Captained by Gazi
Ashraf, Bangladesh were dismissed for 94 and Pakistan reached their
target for victory with seven wickets in hand. They lost their second
ODI which was against Sri Lanka, finishing last in the three-team
tournament. Bangladesh qualified for the 1988 Asia Cup, this time
hosting the tournament; it was the first time ODIs had been staged in
the country. Although they lost all their matches, Bangladesh's
fixtures were retrospectively awarded ODI. Floods in the preceding
months meant the tournament was in doubt, however it went ahead as
planned. A charity match raised $70,000 for the flood victims.

Bangladesh took part in the 1990 Austral-Asia Cup, the Asia
Cup in 1990–91, 1995, and 1997, but it was not until 1998 that they won
their first ODI. Their 22-match losing streak since their first ODI was
at the time a record. Bangladesh posted its first ODI win against Kenya
in India thanks largely to Mohammad Rafique, who contributed a fiery 77
runs and took 3 wickets. In October 1998, Bangladesh hosted (but did
not participate in) the first ever ICC KnockOut Trophy (which later
became the ICC Champions Trophy), a knock-out ODI tournament featuring
all the Test playing nations.

Bangladesh took part in each of the 1982, 1986, 1990, and 1994
editions of the ICC Trophy, and won the trophy in 1997, in the process
qualifying for the 1999 World Cup. Bangladesh also became a regular ICC
member with the right to play ODIs. Earlier, in February Dhaka hosted
the third and final SAARC cricket tournament. Bangladesh played in its
first World Cup in England. Bangladesh created an enormous upset by
beating Pakistan by 62 runs in the group match at Northampton.
Bangladesh made 9/223 from its full 50 overs, and in reply Pakistan
could only manage 161 due to timely run-outs by wicketkeeper Khaled
Mashud and some tight bowling by Khaled Mahmud, who took 3/31 from 10
overs. Mahmud was judged man of the match. Bangladesh did not qualify
for the Super Six round due to defeats in three of its five matches.
However, the win over Pakistan, who finished runners-up to Australia,
helped Bangladesh to gain Test playing status the following year. The
morning of the match, Bangladesh had sacked their coach Gordon
Greenidge.
Former South Africa Test cricketer Eddie Barlow became Bangladesh's
coach in 1999. The West Indies toured Bangladesh in October, winning
both matches in the ODI series. After suffering a stroke in April 2000,
Barlow vacated the position of coach. In May and June 2000, Bangladesh
hosted the Asia Cup; Bangladesh lost all three of their matches and
when playing Pakistan succumbed to what at the time was the heaviest
defeat in ODIs, a margin of 233 runs. Bangladesh participated in the
2000 ICC KnockOut Trophy in October; their only match ended in defeat
to England.

First years as a
test team (2000-2003)

On 13 November 2000, Bangladesh played their inaugural Test
match, hosting India in Dhaka. Captained by Naimur Rahman, Bangladesh
lost by nine wickets, although Wisden noted that they "surpassed all
expectations by matching their neighbours, and at times even enjoying
the upper hand". Aminul Islam Bulbul scored 145 in the first innings,
becoming the third person to have scored a century in their team's
first Test; Rahman took six wickets for 132 runs, the second-best
bowling figures in a country's maiden Test. In March 2001, former
Australian Test cricketer Trevor Chappell was appointed coach. The
following month Bangladesh embarked on a tour of Zimbabwe to play two
Tests and three ODIs. Zimbabwe, who at the time were ranked ninth out
of the ten Test teams, won all five matches.

Bangladesh took part in the 2001–02 Asian Test Championship,
the second and final time the championship was held and the first the
team had been eligible to play in. They lost both their matches by an
innings. Mohammad Ashraful made his debut in the series and became the
youngest player to score a Test century in his first match. In
November, Bangladesh hosted Zimbabwe for two Tests and three ODIs. The
opening Test was curtailed by bad weather and ended in a draw; after
losing their first five Tests, it was the first time Bangladesh had
avoided defeat. Zimbabwe won all the remaining matches. After the Test
series wicketkeeper Khaled Mashud replaced Rahman as captain. The
following month Bangladesh journeyed to New Zealand for two Test
matches. Bangladesh's batsmen struggled in unfamiliar conditions and
the team slumped to two innings defeats.

In January 2002 Bangladesh lost two Tests and three ODIs
against Sri Lanka. At this point, they had lost ten of their first
eleven Tests; only South Africa had struggled as much in their
introduction to Test cricket, also losing ten of their first eleven
matches. Chappell blamed Bangladesh's batsmen for the loss, saying
"they commit the same mistakes again and again, and need to learn to
apply themselves, to bat in sessions". In April, former Pakistan Test
cricketer Mohsin Kamal replaced Chappell as coach. When Bangladesh
toured Sri Lanka in July and August they were on the receiving end of
Sri Lanka's largest margin of victory in Test cricket: an innings and
196 runs. Bangladesh lost both Tests and all three ODIs on the tour,
recording their 50th defeat in 53 ODIs. Repeated poor performances
prompted people to question whether Bangladesh had been granted Test
status too soon. Test and ODI whitewashes followed in South Africa in
October.

Wisden noted that "Time and again ... came the mantra that [Bangladesh]
would learn from the experience, that they could only improve by
playing against the best, that there was genuine talent in the squad.
But it wore thin." The final defeat set a record for most consecutive
losses in ODIs (23), beating the previous record which was also held by
Bangladesh. When the West Indies toured in November and December,
Bangladesh lost both Test and two out of the three ODIs, and one ended
in no result. South Africa hosted the 2003 World Cup in February and
March. Bangladesh lost five of their six matches (one ended in no
result), including fixtures against Canada, who hadn't played
international cricket since the 1979 World Cup, and Kenya.

Under Dav
Whatmore (2003-2007)

In
the aftermath of Bangladesh's World Cup campaign, Khaled Mahmud
replaced Khaled Mashud as captain, and Kamal was sacked as coach with
Dav Whatmore taking over the role. Whatmore was not able to begin the
job immediately, so Sarwar Imran acted as interim coach during
Bangladesh's tour of South Africa in April and May. In 2003 Bangladesh
played nine Test and 21 ODIs, losing every match apart from an ODI
against West Indies which ended in no result. In September, Bangladesh
came very close to its first Test victory, when it lost to Pakistan by
only one wicket. It was just the tenth time in Test history that a team
had lost by a single wicket. In series against Pakistan, Alok
Kapali became the first Bangladesh player to take a hat-trick in Test
cricket, dismissing Shabbir Ahmed, Danish Kaneria, and Umar Gul. When
England toured Bangladesh October and November, Bangladesh's captain,
Mahmud, was booed. Ahead of Bangladesh's tour of Zimbabwe in February
and March the next year, he was dropped from the squad and batsman
Habibul Bashar was granted the captaincy. At the time, Zimbabwe were
without many of their senior players. Bangladesh lost the Test series
1–0, and the ODI series 2–1. The solitary ODI victory was Bangladesh's
first international win since defeating Pakistan in the 1999 World Cup.

Bangladesh's next matches were against the West Indies in May and June.
Bangladesh lost the ODI series 3–0 and the Test series 1–0; by drawing
the first match, Bangladesh managed to avoid defeat for just the third
time in 29 Tests. In December, Bangladesh defeated India in its
hundredth ODI, this being only the third time that it had won against a
Test playing nation.

In January 2005, Zimbabwe toured Bangladesh for two Tests and
five ODIs. The touring Zimbabwe side had suffered due to player
disputes which in 2004 had led to the country's temporary suspension
from Test cricket. Of Zimbabwe's 16-man squad, only their captain had
played more than nine Tests; Bangladesh were the more experienced team.
In the first match, Bangladesh secured their maiden victory in Test
cricket. Bangaldesh's batsmen secured a draw in the second Test by
batting out the final five session after coach Dav Whatmore had opined
that "Zimbabwe will win, unless our batsmen do something special". In
the match – which helped secure a historic first series victory for
Bangladesh – Enamul Haque Jr broke his own bowling record for best
figures in an innings for Bangladesh by taking 7 wickets for 95 runs,
and secured the best figures in a match for Bangladesh: 12 wickets for
200 runs. In the ODI series that followed, Zimbabwe won the opening two
contests, and Bangladesh won the final three to take the series.

After their maiden Test victory, Bangladesh embarked on its
first tour of England in May and June 2005. The team faced unfamiliar
conditions and the batsmen struggled against seam bowling. Bangladesh
lost both matches in the Test series by an innings; the second Test was
the 22nd time it had happened in 38 Tests. Pundits Mike Atherton and
Richie Benaud criticised the team's performances and suggested
Bangladesh was not yet suited to Test cricket. A triangular series with
England and Australia followed. Bangladesh won just one match out of
six, but their solitary victory was against an Australian side that at
the time were world champions in what Wisden described as "the biggest
upset in one-day international history". Bangladesh's next fixture was
in Sri Lanka in September for two Tests and three ODIs. After the
one-off victory against Australia in England, Bangladesh were a more
confident team however Sri Lanka won all five matches by large margins.
Captain Habibul Bashar lamented his side's defeat, describing it as
"the worst tour since I took over the captaincy".

The first home One-Day International series of 2006 began with
some optimism for Bangladesh, which registered its first-ever win
against Sri Lanka in the second ODI of the series. At the end of March,
Bangladesh played four ODIs against Kenya, winning all four. Then in
April, Bangladesh came very close to beating Australia in a Test match,
taking a first-innings lead of 158, and eventually losing by only three
wickets. At the end of July, Bangladesh toured Zimbabwe as the ODI
series favourites but lost 3–2. In August, the team defeated Kenya in
all three matches of a series and subsequently went on to whitewash
Zimbabwe in an ODI series staged in Bangladesh. That year, Shahriar
Nafees became the first Bangladeshi to score over a thousand runs
(which included three centuries) in a calendar year while Mashrafe
Mortaza became the leading wicket-taker in the world in ODIs staged in
2006 with 49 wickets.

India hosted the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy in October and
November. Bangladesh failed to progress beyond the group stages, losing
two of their three matches. Their only victory came against Zimbabwe.
Ahead of the World Cup Bangladesh faced Zimbabwe in nine ODIs, Scotland
in two, and Bermuda and Canada one each; of those matches, Bangaldesh
lost a single ODI to Zimbabwe. On 17 March, in their first match of the
2007 World Cup, hosted by the West Indies, Bangladesh secured a
five-wicket win over India; the surprise result triggered late night
partying in Bangladesh despite government bans on public gatherings. In
their remaining group matches Bangladesh lost to Sri Lanka and defeated
Bermuda which was enough to secure qualification for the second round
while India were knocked out. Bangladesh's only victory in the Super
Eights was against South Africa, losing to everyone else including
Ireland, a team mostly made up of amateur cricketers.

Banglaesh's next fixture after the World Cup was a home series against
India in May, with two Tests and three ODIs. After Bangladesh had
helped knock India out of the tournament, the series was seen as an
opportunity for India to exact revenge. Bangladesh had not played Test
cricket since April 2006. The first Test was shortened due to rain and
drawn, but India won the second by their largest ever margin. India won
the ODI series 3–0. In the aftermath Habibul Bashar, who had previously
resigned as ODI captain, was replaced as captain by 22-year-old
Mohammad Ashraful in all forms of the game. Mashrafe Mortaza was
appointed vice-captain. After four years as coach Whatmore chose not to
extend his contract, and Shaun Williams temporarily filled the
position. Ashraful's first series in charge was a tour of Sri Lanka in
June and July. Bangladesh suffered defeat in each of the three Tests,
losing by an innings on every occasion, and three ODIs. In the second
Test, Bangladesh were bundled out for their lowest total (62).

Under Jamie Siddons
(2007-2011)

South Africa hosted the 2007 ICC World Twenty20 in September.
In a match against Bangladesh, Australian fast bowler Brett Lee took
the first ever Twenty20 International (T20I) hat-trick. Bangladesh
defeated the West Indies to progress to the second stage of the
tournament, however it was the only match they won in the tournament.
Jamie Siddons was appointed coach in October. At the end of 2007
Bangladesh toured New Zealand. Bangladesh was soundly beaten 3–0 in the
one dayers. The third match was the largest defeat in the history of
ODI cricket for a side batting first.

Bangladesh started the year with a tour of New Zealand. The
Test matches were one sided, with Bangladesh losing 2–0. South Africa
toured Bangladesh and won all matches, including both Tests and all
three ODIs. Bangladesh then beat non-Test-playing Ireland 3–0 in an ODI
series.

In October, New Zealand toured Bangladesh for three ODIs and
two Tests. Shortly before the tour, fourteen Bangladesh players left to
play in the Indian Cricket League and were subsequently banned for ten
years. Six of the players were centrally contracted, including former
captain Habibul Bashar. With a less experienced team than usual and a
poor record against New Zealand, Bangladesh were expected to lose
heavily. After wining the opening ODI, Bangladesh went on to lose
series 2–1. New Zealand won the first Test by three wickets in what
their coach, John Bracewell, described as "one of the great character
wins". New Zealand also won the second Test, taking the series 2–0, but
in the process Shakib Al Hasan emerged as an all-rounder. Having
previously been selected primarily as a batsmen, he went on to take the
best bowling figures in an innings for a Bangladesh player, 7 wickets
for 36 runs, beating the record set by Enamul Haque Jr three years
earlier.

In November, Bangladesh toured South Africa. They lost all
their matches to South Africa, including the only T20I match, two of
the three ODIs (the third being washed out due to rain) and both Tests.
In December, however, Bangladesh bounced back from the previous
lacklustre performances by threatening to win the first Test match
against Sri Lanka by chasing down the highest fourth innings of total
of 513. Though they fell 107 runs short, their performances were
praised but in the second match of the home series in January,
Bangladesh fell to an innings defeat.

The year started with the innings defeat in the 2nd Test match
against Sri Lanka. Then Zimbabwe joined the hosts and the Lankan team
for a tri-series tournament, which proved to be more evenly matched
than was expected. In the first match, Zimbabwe defeated Bangladesh by
an excellent performance but then fell to defeat by a huge margin by
Sri Lanka leaving Bangladesh needing to win against the Lankans in the
last match in order to go through to the finals to join the Lankans,
and that also with a bonus point.

After the World T20 championships in England, the selectors appointed
Mashrafe Mortaza as the new captain of the team for the tour to the
West Indies so that Ashraful could focus on his batting. The two Test
series was played amidst controversy when a pay dispute between the
West Indian players and the West Indies Cricket Board led a number of
West Indian players boycotting the series, which forced the West Indies
to select a number of inexperienced players as replacements. Bangladesh
went on to win both of the Tests, wining the first Test by 95 runs and
the second by four wickets. In the process they achieved their first
ever overseas Test series victory. In the ODI series which followed
Bangladesh secured their first ever ODI win against the West Indies at
the 14th attempt. Bangladesh won the series 3–0, but lost the only
Twenty20 match. In November, Shakib was named The Wisden
Cricketer's "Test Player of the Year".

In January, Bangladesh hosted a tri-series ODI tournament with
India and Sri Lanka. They failed to win a match and went out of the
tournament. They lost the two match Test series against India by 2–0.
In March 2010, England visited Bangladesh to play three ODIs and two
Test matches. Bangladesh lost all their ODIs and Tests in the series.
In April, Bangladesh took part in the 2010 World Twenty20. They lost
all their matches and failed to progress to the Super Eights stage. In
May and June, Bangladesh played two Test matches against England away,
losing both, although Tamim Iqbal scored two centuries in the series.
Between the Tests and ODIs against England, Bangladesh took part in the
2010 Asia Cup during June, but lost all their matches. In the ODI
series, England comfortably won the first match. However, in the second
match at Bristol, Bangladesh beat England for the first time in
international cricket (England were the only Test playing nation yet to
be beaten by Bangladesh), bowling England out in the final over to win
by five runs.

In October New Zealand went to Bangladesh for five ODIs.
Mortaza suffered an injury in the first match and Shakib took over as
captain. Under his leadership Bangladesh won the series 4–0, securing
their first series victory against a full strength ICC Full Member
nation. Although unable to play against New Zealand due to injury,
while the series was in progress Tamim Iqbal was named The Wisden
Cricketer's "Test Player of the Year". In December Bangladesh hosted
Zimbabwe for five ODIs. After losing the opening match, Bangladesh went
on to win the next three complete matches, with one called off due to
rain, to beat Zimbabwe 3–1.

In February and March 2011, Bangladesh co-hosted the World Cup
with India and Sri Lanka. West Indies dismissed Bangladesh for 58 runs,
the team's lowest score in ODIs and a record low for a Full Member at
the World Cup. The West Indies and Bangladesh team buses were stoned as
they left the ground,and so was Shakib's house. Bangladesh beat
England, Ireland, and the Netherlands, making their final match of the
first round a must-win contest. Against South Africa, Bangladesh
succumbed to a their second-largest defeat in ODIs and became the first
Full Member team to be bowled out for under 100 twice in World Cups,
thereby failing to progress to the second stage of the tournament.
After the World Cup, Siddons' contract was allowed to lapse. During his
three-and-a-half year tenure as coach Siddons introduced a full
coaching staff for the first time, including coaches for bowling,
strength and conditioning, and fielding. Under Siddons Bangladesh's
reliance on spin bowlers continued, partly because pitches in the
country encourage spin bowlers, and frequently only two seam bowlers
were used in a match. Siddons was credited with helping the team
improve mentally.

Under Stuart Law
(2011-2012)

A
lengthy hunt for a head coach followed Siddons' exit encountering the
names of Vincent Barnes and Stuart Law as possible appointees. Law, who
at the time was the acting head coach of Sri Lanka following Trevor
Bayliss' departure, was named Bangladesh's new head coach in
June.

Bangladesh toured Zimbabwe in August for a one-off Test and
five ODIs. The Test marked Zimbabwe's return to the longest-format of
the game after a self-imposed withdrawal in January 2006 as the sport
in the country was in a state of disarray. Bangladesh lost the match by
130 runs. Though they were expected to with the Test and the ODIs,
Bangladesh lost the subsequent one-day series 3–2. In the aftermath of
the series, Shakib was sacked as captain, with a BCB representative
citing his poor leadership. Later that month, wicket-keeper Mushfiqur
Rahim was named captain, with all-rounder Mahmudullah as his deputy.
Bangladesh' struggles at international level have been epitomised by
the ineffectiveness of their fast bowlers. Between January 2010 and
August 2011, they took 37 wickets in 8 Tests at an average of 67.67,
the worst out of the nine teams playing regular Test cricket in this
period.

Though Bangladesh won Rahim's first match in charge, a T20I
against the West Indies in October, the team lost the subsequent ODI
series 2–1 and the two-match Test series 1–0.

Pakistan toured in December, and during the first of three
ODIs Bangaldesh were dismissed for their 13th score of less than 100 in
the format, overtaking Zimbabwe's record of 12 times. In March
Bangladesh hosted in the 2012 Asia Cup featuring India, Pakistan, and
Sri Lanka. Bangladesh entered the tournament with just two wins from 29
Asia Cup matches. Victories against India and Sri Lanka saw Bangladesh
face Pakistan in the final, only the second time the team had reached
the final of a multi-national competition. Though Pakistan won the
final by two runs, Bangladesh had exceeded expectations. During the
tournament, Tamim Iqbal became the first Bangladeshi player to score
four consecutive fifties in ODIs. Shakib Al Hasan was named man of the
series after contributing with both the bat and the ball, making 237
runs and taking 6 wickets respectively.

The following month Law announced he would be stepping down as
coach in June when his contract was due to expire for personal reasons.